Brooklyn's Peter Fu to run Boston Marathon® on YMCA Boston Team

This April, Brooklyn resident Peter Fu, 46, will complete his final Abbot World Marathon Major by running as part of the YMCA of Greater Boston’s Boston Marathon® team.

With ten marathons under his belt, Fu isn’t daunted by the 26.2 miles facing him in April, as he logs between 30 and 40 miles per week during training runs. Rather, he’s more focused on achieving his fundraising goal of $8,000 through the generosity of his family members and friends coupled with donations from his colleagues and charitable match by his company, Morgan Stanley.

“What started six years ago as a way to stay in shape quickly became a passion for me,” says Fu, who credits running for changing his life both physically and mentally. “Shortly after I started running, I began to look for ways to combine my love for the sport with my desire to volunteer with children.”

This desire led him to the Chinatown YMCA in New York, for which he was invited to join the General Board to help further the Y’s mission to create communities of caring people, improve health and empower youth. Now, he’s excited to be a part of the nonprofit’s 2019 Marathon team and share his dedication to hard work and giving back to the community.

Running marathons is also a way for Peter to honor his late father, who Fu describes as a hardworking, selfless man. He has run every marathon since his passing, in October of 2016, carrying one of his father’s favorite hats, most recently the Hong Kong Marathon on February 17. Now, he plans to complete his sixth World Marathon Major in his memory.

“I set out on this dream to complete the six World Major Marathons six years ago and have been chasing the unicorn ever since,” says Fu. “But running this race is not just about completing the dream anymore. It is also a celebration of the amazing journey that has changed me and led me to new places, new friends, new goals, and to give more to my community. Boston is a celebration of all these things with my family, including my dad.”

All funds raised by Y Marathon team members will support the YMCA of Greater Boston’s teen programs. This past summer the YMCA of Greater Boston gave out 17,000 free three-month memberships to teens at the Y’s 13 branches with unlimited access and held more than 900 community events. Programs like Safe Dating, Cyber Bulling, Job Readiness, Volunteerism, Leadership, SAT prep and mentoring programs empower and engage youth in productive ways.

“When you run for the Y’s Boston Marathon team, you are raising money to help us give a teen in Greater Boston access to summer programming, swim classes, and camp,” says James Morton, YMCA of Greater Boston President and CEO. “This past summer was our busiest to date with each of our branches creating programming to fit the needs of the youth in their neighborhoods, which would not be possible without funds raised by our runners. We wish them the best this April.”

Runners who have qualified to receive a Boston Marathon bib and would like to experience the camaraderie of running with a team while supporting charity are welcome to join the YMCA of Greater Boston’s Marathon team by raising a minimum of $1,500. To donate to Peter Fu and the rest of the YMCA team, please visit: https://www.crowdrise.com/o/en/campaign/ymca-boston-2019.

ABOUT THE YMCA OF GREATER BOSTON:

The YMCA of Greater Boston is the state’s leading nonprofit committed to strengthening communities. Every day the Y works with thousands of men, women and children to ensure that everyone, regardless of age, income or background, has the opportunity to learn, grow and thrive. As the nation’s fifth largest charity, the Y is creating meaningful memberships. Going beyond gym and swim, the Y provides members with access to quality health and fitness experts and equipment while giving back and providing support to thousands every day. For more than 165 years, the Y has been developing skills and emotional well-being through education and training, welcoming and connecting diverse populations, preventing chronic disease and building healthier communities through collaborations and policymakers. The Boston YMCA is the first Y in the United States.